Dying Isn't Such A Bad Thing
by The-World-Hates-Me72
Summary: Azaelia is a girl who lost everything. She is found by Gandalf and is trained to fight. Years later she joins the Company of Thorin Oakenshield. Will she find something she has lost and maybe more? If she does, will she lose it all again to a tragedy called Death?
1. Chapter 1

"Gandalf, the poor hobbit doesn't want to be bothered." I said as Gandalf and I walked with the other dwarves up to Master Baggin's hole.

He ignored what I said and Dori rang the bell.

"There's nobody home!" I heard from inside, "Go away and bother somebody else. There's far too many dwarves in my dining room as it is. If this is some screw head's joke, then he has some poor taste." He said before opening the door and the dwarves in front of me fell inside the doorway.

Gandalf bent down to look at Bilbo.

"Gandalf." He sighed.

We got inside and all of the dwarves were making food and Gandalf started helping setting up the long table. Bilbo was complaining the whole time. Gandalf stood by the chandiler and started counting everyone off.

"Kili, Fili, Balin, Dwalin, Oin, Gloin, Nori, Ori, Dori, Bombur, Bofur, Bifur, Azaelia, ... we appear to be one dwarf short." Gandalf said, counting us off.

"He's late, is all." Dwalin said, "Traveled north to a meeting of our kin. He will come."

"Mr. Gandalf, here is your little glass of red wine." Dori said, handing Gandalf, literally, a little glass of red wine.

"Cheers," Gandalf said before drinking the glass.

A while later the food was ready and all of the dwarves ate in the dining room, cheering and eating.

"Come eat with us, lass!" Fili said from the table.

"No thank you. Too crowded." I replied before I took a few tomatoes and sat in the other room, eating them.

I watched the hilarious look on Bilbo's face as he saw the dwarves eating all of his food. The dwarves were quiet for a moment, only drinking their ale. After they ate they cleaned the dishwashers, and again Bilbo was running around, making sure they don't ruin anything. I smiled as I watched Kili and Fili throw there plates to Bifur who caught them without even looking.

"Please don't do that, you'll blunt them." Bilbo said to the four dwarves sitting at the table, banging their silverware and feet.

"Did ya hear that?" Bofur asked the other men, "He said we'll blunt them."

_Blunt the knives and bend the forks_

_Smash the bottles and burn the corks_

_Chip the glasses and crack the plates_

_That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!_

_Cut the cloth and tread the fat_

_Leave the bones on the bedroom mat_

_Pour the milk on the pantry floor_

_Splash the wine on every door!_

_Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl_

_Pound them up with a thumping pole_

_And when you've finished, if any are whole_

_Send them down the hall to roll!_

_That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!_

We laughed and watched Bilbo's face as he saw all the dishes clean. We were then silenced by a knock on the door.

"He's here." Gandalf said, taking the pipe out of his mouth.

We all waited in the doorway of the next room, looking at the door. Gandalf opened it and there was another dwarf, nut unlike the others he looked meaner. Then again so did Dwalin before I got to know him.

"Gandalf." The man said walking into the hobbit hole, "I thought you said this place was easy to find. I lost my way, twice. I wouldn't have found it at all if it weren't for the mark on the door." He said, taking off his cloak.

"Mark? There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago." Bilbo said, walking over to Gandalf.

"There is a mark, I made it myself." Gandalf replied. "Bilbo Baggins let me introduce you to the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield."

"So," Thorin said, crossing his arms, "This is our hobbit. Tell me Mr. Baggins have you done much fighting?"

"Hardly." Bilbo answered.

" Axe, sword, what's your weapon of choice?" Thorin asked, circling Bilbo.

"Well, I have some skill at conkers if you must know. But I fail to see why that is relevant." Bilbo voice dropped as he continued with the sentence, seeming somewhat embarrassed.

"Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar." Thorin said and everyone chuckled before going into the dining room.

Thorin ate while the other dwarves asked questions.

"What news from the meeting of Ered Luin?" Balin asked.

I stood next to Bilbo in the doorway behind Gandalf and we both listened in on the conversation.

"They will not come." Thorin simply answered before taking another bite of his food. "They said that this quest is ours and ours alone."

"You're going on a quest?" Bilbo asked from beside me.

Thorin looked at him before looking to me.

"And who are you?" He asked me.

"Azaelia." I answered.

"And why are you here?" Thorin questioned.

Gandalf stood up before speaking for me, "She is coming along with the company."

Thorin stared at me for another few moments before hesitantly nodding and he continued eating. I was confused, I thought someone like him was going to put up a fuss about a woman going on a quest.

"Bilbo, let us have a little more light." Gandalf said.

Bilbo nodded before walking off and bringing back a candle.

"Far to the east, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single, solitary peak." Gandalf said, taking out a piece of parchment and unfolding it and placing it on the table in front of Thorin.

"The Lonely Mountain." Bilbo read from behind Gandalf with a candle.

"Aye, Oin has read the portance and the portance say it is time..." Gloin said.

"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as foretold." Oin continued.

I watched as Bilbo walked to his pantry and when the beast was mentioned, he walked into the hallway.

"What beast?" He asked.

"Well, that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible." Bofur answered, taking his pipe out of his mouth. "Chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Airborne fire breather, teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks, and extremely fond of precious metals."

"Yea I know what a dragon is." Bilbo said as Ori stood up, scraping his chair on the ground.

"I'm not afraid!" He exclaimed, "I'm up for it! I'll give him a taste of dwarvish iron right up his jacksie!" I smiled at the young dwarf's outburst.

All the other dwarves were cheering before Dori pulled Ori down into his seat, "Sit down!"

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us. But we are just fourteen, not fourteen of the bast nor brightest," Balin said and more mumbles of protest once again over the other dwarves.

"We may be few in numbers, but we're fighters! All of us to the last dwarf! And lady." Fili said, adding the last part while looking at me.

"And you forget we have a wizard in our company. Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time!" Kili said before we all looked at the wizard.

"Well, now, I-I" He started.

"How many then?" Dori asked.

"What?" Gandalf questioned.

"How many dragons have you killed?" He repeated and for some unknown reason all the dwarves except for Thorin stood up and started yelling.

I caught Bilbo's eyes and he looked at me, wondering why they were yelling. I shrugged my shoulders before I saw Thorin stand up.

"Enough!" He yelled and everyone shut up and sat down, "If we have read these signs, do you not think others would have read them, too? Rumours have begun to spread. The dragon, Smaug, has not been seen for sixty years. Eyes look east of the mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies on protecting, and we sit back, while others claim what's rightfully ours. Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor?!"

The other dwarves started cheering before Thorin sat down.

"You forget that the front gate is sealed." Balin said, "There is now way into the mountain."

"That my dear Balin is not entirely true." Gandalf replied, taking out a key.

"Who gave you this?" Thorin asked, looking at the key with awe.

"It was given to me by your father." Gandalf answered. "For safe keeping. It is yours now." He said, handing it to Thorin.

"If there is a key, then there must be a door." Fili said.

"These ruins speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls." Gandalf said, looking at the map.

"There's another way in." Kili smiled.

"If we can find it. Both doors are invisible." Gandalf replied before sighing, "The answer lies somewhere in this map. And I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle Earth who can. The task I have in my mind would have a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage." He said looking a Bilbo, "That's if we are careful, and clever. I believe it can be done."

"That's why we need a burglar." Ori said.

"And a good one, too. An expert I imagine." Bilbo commented.

"And are you?" Bofur asked.

Bilbo looked behind him before answering, "Am I what?"

"He said he's an expert." Oin joked and a few of the dwarves chuckled.

"Me? No, no, no, no. I'm not a burglar. I've never stolen a thing in my life." Bilbo replied.

"I think I'm going to have to agree with Mr. Baggins. He's hardly burglar material." Balin said.

"The wild is no place for gentle folk who can not fight." Dwalin agreed.

Everyone started discussing with each other, making wild hand gestures and throwing small bits of food.

"That's enough, I say." Gandalf said, standing up. "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can be unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is custom to the smell of dwarf, the scent of hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage." He said before turning to Thorin, You asked me to find two other members for the company, and I have chosen Mr. Baggins and Azaelia. You must trust me on this."

"Very well. We'll do it your way." Thorin replied after a moment of silence and turned to Balin, "Give them the contract."

"It's just the usual about pocket expenses, time required, funeral arrangements, so forth." Balin said, holding out the contracts to us.

"Funeral arrangements?" Bilbo questioned, looking at me.

I didn't really care about the contract, so I signed it right away and gave it back to Balin while Bilbo actually read the long piece of parchment. We all stared at him as he kept reading.

"Incineration?" Bilbo asked.

"Melt the skin off your bones in the blink of your eye." Bofur said.

"Huh."

"You alright, laddie?" Balin asked as Bilbo put his hand on his knees and started breathing heavily.

"Yeah, I just feel a bit faint." He replied.

"Think furnace, with wings." Bofur said, standing up and leaning on the doorway.

"I-I-I need air." Bilbo said.

"Flash of light, searing pain, then puff!" Bofur gestured wildly with his pipe, "You're nothing more than a pile of ash."

Bilbo stood, he looked like he was thinking for a moment, shuffling his feet.

"Nope." He said before fainting.

"Very helpful, Bofur."

After a few minutes we got him to wake up and he sat in a chair next to the fireplace.

"Are you okay, Master Baggins?" I asked handing him a cup of tea.

"I'll be alright. Just let me sit quietly for a moment." Bilbo replied.

"You've been sitting quietly for far too long." Gandalf said, waving me off to the other room with a few of the other dwarves inside. I leaned quietly against the wall, watching Gandalf and Bilbo speak to each other.

"He's not coming, is he?" I asked Gandalf after Bilbo left the room.

"He has disagreed to come." Gandalf replied.

"I think he'll change his mind." I smiled.

"And why is that, Azaelia?" Gandalf asked.

"No one would give up the chance to go on an adventure like this." I answered.

A few minutes later I found myself sitting in the corner, watching all of the dwarves who had gathered around the fire.

_Far over the Misty Mountains cold_

_To dungeons deep and caverns cold_

_We must away, ere break of day_

_To find our long forgotten gold._

The other dwarves joined in, familiar to the song.

_The pines were roaring on the height_

_The winds were moaning in the night_

_The fire was red, it flaming spread_

_The trees like torches blazed with light._

I found my eyes becoming heavy during the song and I fell asleep as it ended.

* * *

**I will try to update this story every Thursday.**


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning Gandalf woke me up around dawn. Everyone but Bilbo packed up and we were on the road on the ponies. I rode near the back next to Bofur and Ori , and it was mid-morning with no sign of Bilbo. Everyone made bets on whether he was coming or not, and I put in most of my coins.

"Wait!" I heard a yell.

We all stopped and looked behind us to see Bilbo running up to us.

"I signed it." Bilbo said, holding out the contract to Balin.

"Everything appears to be in order." Balin said, looking at the contract. "Welcome, Master Baggins, to the Company of Thorin Oakenshield."

"Give him a pony." Thorin said from the front of the group.

"No-no. That won't be necessary. I'm sure I can keep up on foot."

Bilbo's protests were ignored as Fili and Kili lifted Bilbo onto an empty pony.

"Come on Nori, give it up." Dori smiled.

Bags of coins were tossed around and I grabbed onto the one that was thrown my way.

"What's that about?" Bilbo asked.

"We placed bets on whether you were going to show up." I answered, riding up next to Gandalf who caught a bag of coins, who was next to Bilbo. "Most of them thought you wouldn't."

Bilbo then sneezed, "All of this horse hair." He rambled as he reached into his pocket. "Wait, wait, stop! We have to turn around."

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I forgot my handkerchief."

"Here, use this." Bofur said, ripping off a piece of his shirt and throwing it back to Bilbo.

Bilbo looked at it with disgust and some of us laughed before we continued to ride along. We rode along fields and valleys, and through the woods before we stopped for the night when it was starting to get dark.

"Azaelia, you take first watch." Thorin instructed me.

I nodded, grabbing my sword before walking over to a tree and sitting with my back against it.

A few hours later, all of the dwarves were asleep, except the lone hobbit who kept twisting and turning.

"Can't sleep?" I asked when he sat up, glaring at Bombur.

"Kind of hard when you have 13 dwarves all snoring at once." Bilbo replied, getting up and sitting next to me.

"Can I ask you a question?" He asked me.

"Sure." I replied.

"Why do you trust Gandalf so much? You signed the contract right away without reading it." Bilbo asked.

"Gandalf is like a father to me. He took me in when he could have just left me on the streets." I answered.

"No family?"

"I did." I replied.

"What happened to them, if you don't mind me asking?" Bilbo questioned.

"Well, first you must understand that I had two younger brothers, one older brother and three younger sisters. My father died before I was born and my mum married another man and had my siblings. He was always away for work, so I had to help my mum take care of the younglings. But, one day each month I got her all to myself. The younglings would go to my mum's friend's house for the day while mum and I would walk into the forest outside of the village and have a picnic and watch the stars until it was time to go. That day we were watching the stars, and we saw giant clouds of smoke and screams coming from the village. She had to make sure my brothers and sisters are okay, so she gave me her locket, promised she would be back to get me before leaving. She never came back." I said.

"I'm sorry." Bilbo replied.

I shrugged my shoulders, "I later found out it was Wargs who raided my village. No one survived, at least I don't think so. The next morning I went down there and found buildings burned to the ground, and a few dead bodies."

"Where did you go after that?"

"I left for another village only a few miles away. I was only eight, so I couldn't work. I stole things from the market. That's how Gandalf found me. I was pick-pocketing from a prick and he saw me. He then took me in, he trained me how to fight and told me about the adventures he went on, and now here I am." I answered.

"No one should lose their family that early." Bilbo said.

I felt someone's eyes on my but I chose to ignore it as Bilbo and I sat in comfortable silence.

The next day we traveled along mountains and we stopped when it got dark on an edge of a cliff. Fili and Kili were on watch and some other dwarves were still awake, but I woke up to the sound of Orcs.

"What was that?" Bilbo asked.

"Orcs." Kili answered.

"Orcs?" Bilbo questioned.

"Throat-cutters." Fili tells him, "There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them."

"They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone is asleep." Kili said, "Quick and quiet, no screams, just lots of blood."

That's not true.

I still hear the screams of the villagers in my head. Almost every night. I shiver at the thought.

"You alright, lass?" Bofur asked from next to me.

I nodded and pulled my cloak closer to me. And I hear Fili and Kili chuckle.

"You think that's funny?" I look over at Thorin who stood over by the rocks and walked over, his eyes rested on me before turning to his nephews, "You think a night raid by Orcs is a joke?"

"We didn't mean anything by it." Kili replied, sounding ashamed.

"No, you didn't." Thorin said, walking to the edge of the cliff, "You know nothing of the world."

"Don't mind him, laddie." Balin said, "Thorin has more cause than most to hate Orcs. After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had gotten there first. Moria had been taken by legions if Orcs lead by the most vile of their race: Azog the Defiler. The giant Gundabad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began-" Balin paused, then continued with pain in his voice "By beheading the king."

"Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven by mad grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed, we did not know. We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us."

I look over at Throin, who was still standing by the cliff. It must have been horrible, seeing his grandfather beheaded before his very eyes, and his father disappeared, not knowing what happened to him.

"That's when I saw him, a young dwarf prince facing down the pale Orc. He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armour rent, wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield. Azog the Defiler learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken. Our forces rallied and drove the Orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated. But there was no feast, no song, that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived." You could hear the sadness in Balin's voice as he spoke. "And I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call king."

"But the pale Orc, what happened to him?" Bilbo asked.

"He slunk back into the hole whence he came," Thorin said, walking by us, "That filth died of his wounds long ago."

I shivered and pulled my cloak closer to me before trying to sleep again.


	3. Chapter 3

Some days later we were traveling through the forest as it rained. I was next to Bilbo with my hood up, covering my dark brown hair. Looking over at Bilbo I smiled at his grumpy looking face.

"Mr. Gandalf, can't you do something about this deluge?" Dori asked.

"It is raining, Master Dwarf, and it will continue to rain until the rain is done." Gandalf replied. "If you wish to change the weather of the world, you should find yourself another wizard."

"Are there any?" Bilbo asked.

"What?"

"Other wizards."

"There are five of us. The greatest of our order is Saruman the White. Then there are the two Blue Wizards - you know, I've quite forgotten there names." Gandalf replied.

"And who is the fifth?"

"Radagast the Brown." I answered.

"Is he a great wizard, or is he more like you?" Bilbo asked Gandalf.

I hand to cover my mouth with my hand to stifle my laugh. I look over at Bilbo and see he face flush from what he just said. Gandalf looks at Bilbo, then me before laughing softly.

"I think he is a very great wizard, in his own way. He is a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to other. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the East, and a good thing, too, for always evil will look to find a foot hole in this world." Gandalf replied.

The next afternoon the rain had stopped and we were travelling until we cam upon a beaten, old farmhouse.

"We will camp here for the night." Thorin said. "Fili, Kili, watch the ponies. Make sure you stay with them."

I followed Gandalf into the old farmhouse.

"A farmer and his family used to live here." Gandalf said to me before turning to Thorin, who was walking toward us, "I think it is wise to move on and make to the Hidden Valley, don't you think so, Azaelia?"

"Oh no, I'm not being dragged into this one." I said, glaring at him before walking away, towards the other dwarves.

I made small talk with Bilbo and Balin when Gandalf stomped toward us.

"Is everything alright?" Bilbo asked.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"To seek company of the only one here who has any sense." He answered, walking by us.

"And who's that?" Bilbo asked.

"Myself, Mr. Baggins." Gandalf answered before leaving.

"I wouldn't take it too much to heart. He has a tantrum every once in awhile. Usually when people don't listen to him." I commented.

We then turned to look at Thorin, who was most likely the one who made Gandalf upset.

"Come on, Bombur, we're hungry." He said.

"Is he coming back?" Bilbo asked me.

"At some point." I answered.

As it got darker out I saw Bilbo get worried.

"Don't worry, Bilbo. He's a wizard, he'll come back." I said.

To keep him busy I gave him two bowls of the soup Bombur made and told him to give it to Fili and Kili, who were still watching the horses. Minutes later, Fili and Kili run over to the Company, telling us about the trolls stealing our ponies and how Bilbo is trying to get them back.

"Azaelia, you stay here. Everyone else, let's go." Thorin said.

"I can fight too, you know." I said, standing up from where I sat on the stone.

"You say you can fight, and we have yet to see it." He replied.

"Because you aren't giving me a chance to prove it!" I exclaimed.

"Stay here and don't come looking for us, no matter how long we've been gone." Thorin commanded before he and the rest of the Company left through the trees.

I sighed and sat back down, poking a stick at the fire. After awhile, I got worried. I stood up and walked through the trees and found the dwarves. Some were put over a fire, and others were laying in bags by boulders except for Bombur, who was held in the air by one of the trolls.

Bilbo told the giant, slimy trolls how they had parasites. Kili, Gloin, Oin, Ori, and Balin started yelling, saying they did not have parasites. Thorin then kicked Kili in the back of the head. Everyone was quiet for a second before saying that they, in fact, do have parasites. From the corner of my eye I saw Gandalf, running through the trees. I grabbed my dagger from my boot and hid it behind my back.

"Let him go!" I yelled, exposing myself from the safety and cover of the trees.

"What did you say?!" One of the trolls yelled.

"I said let him go you lardass, deadbeat, slimy, dimwitted troll." I said slowly.

"Grab her!" The troll yelled with anger.

One of the trolls ran toward me, but was too slow. I threw the dagger and it hit the troll in the eye. He screamed in pain before falling to the ground. The other ran toward me, but stopped when we heard a voice.

"The dawn will take you all!" Gandalf yelled before using his staff and smashing it against the boulder he was on.

The boulder broke in half, making the light from the sun shine through, hitting the trolls and they turned to stone. I grabbed a dagger from the pile of weapons and walked over to the dwarves on the ground.

"I told you to stay by the fire." Thorin said as I cut his bag.

"And if I would have you would be troll food." I replied, starting to cut Kili's bag.

"That was a nice throw." Kili smiled, sanding up.

"Thank you." I replied before walking toward Gandalf, who was looking at the trolls.

"Have I ever told you how dramatic you are?" I asked.

"Many times, Azaelia, many times." He answered.

"Where were you, if I may ask." Thorin questioned, walking toward us.

"To look ahead." Gandalf answered.

"And what brought you back?"

"Looking behind."

I pulled my dagger out of one of the troll's eye, "Since when did mountain trolls travel this far south?"

"Not for an age." Gandalf answered. "Not since a darker power rode these lands."

"I don't like the sound of that." I whispered.

"They could not have moved in daylight." Gandalf said.

"There must be a cave nearby." Thorin replied before walking off.

"Troll cave. Lovely." I said to Gandalf before following Thorin.

It wasn't long before we found it. Wasn't very hard either. Just had to follow teh stench of rotting meat that has been in the sun for too long.

"What is that stench?" Gloin asked.

"Death and decay. Maybe some rotten turnips. Careful what you touch." I answered.

The cave had loads of coins lying around on the ground. And a few dead bodies. I guess that's where the smell came from. I also found a rotten pumpkin, close enough. I grabbed a small pouch from a rock and filled it up with the gold coins that was lying on the ground. It's a shame it will be left here, forgotten.

"Nori, get a shovel." I heard from behind me.

I breathed in and gagged. Then I started making my way towards the entrance with my bag of coins. I leaned against the wall next to Bilbo.

"Don't go in unless you want to lose your sense of smell and want to go blind." I told him.

He chuckled and the dwarves that went in the cave came out.

"Bilbo." Gandalf called out as he came out of the foul smelling place.

"Here, this is about your size." Gandalf said, giving him a sword.

"I can't take this." Bilbo replied.

"The blade is of elvish making. That means it will glow blue if orcs or goblins are nearby."

"That will be handy." I commented before I felt a vibration in the ground.

I walked over to Thorin.

"Did you feel it?" I asked.

"Feel what?" He asked before it happened again, and I know he must have felt it.

"That." I replied.

"Something's coming!" Thorin called out to the rest of the group.

"Stick together and arm yourselves." Gandalf said.

I drew my sword and we all started gathered around each other.

"Seize! Fire! Murder!"

"Radagast!" I exclaimed.

"Azaelia! My, girl, I haven't seen you since you were this tall." Radagast replied, steadying a hand at what height I believe I was at.

"Radagast the Brown. What on Earth are you doing here?" Gandalf asked, walking up to him.

"I was looking for you Gandalf. Something's wrong. Something is terribly wrong." Radagast said.

"Yes?"

Radagast opened his mouth and held up a finger.

"Give me a minute. I had a thought and now I lost it."

"Not the first time that has happened." I said under my breath.

"It's right there on the tip of my tongue." Radagast said before sticking his tongue out, "Oh, it's not a thought at all. It's a little..."

Gandalf grabbed a bug out of Radagast's mouth.

"It's a little stick insect."

Gandalf and Radagast left for a little meeting. I sat on a rock, closing my eyes before I heard someone sit down next to me.

"You trust that man?" Thorin asked.

"Radagast? Yeah. He may seem a little loopy but he's great. But if he's here, something bad must be happening." I replied.

"What about Gandalf? Do you trust him?" He asked.

"What kind of question is that? The man practically raised me. He taught me just about everything I know." I answered.

"I am sorry about what happened to your family." Thorin said, changing the subject.

So he was the one awake that night.

"I never found their bodies. When I was younger I used to believe that they're still alive. They're out there looking for me like I was looking for them." I replied.

"You don't believe that now?" He asked.

"No," I said, shaking my head and looked at him, "I don't."

"What were they like, your siblings?" Thorin questioned.

"My older brother, Damon, he was such a ladies man. He had light green eyes and dark hair. Girls followed him around a lot. Nick and Michael were my younger twin brothers. Inseparable, they were. They always got in trouble and played pranks on people. Ivy and Arabella were the other pair of twins. Such opposites. Ivy liked light colors and the Arabella liked dark colors, they liked different foods, different seasons, different time of day. Primula, Prim, she was the youngest. She could barely talk when our village was destroyed."

Then I heard a warg. Must be my memories catching up to me again.

"Was that a wolf?" Bilbo asked. "Are there wolves out there?"

I wasn't the only one who heard it.

"That is no wolf." I replied.

We heard a growl and a branch break. I turned around and saw a warg coming toward Thorin and I. Thorin took his sword and killed it. Another one was behind me and Kili was quick to kill it with his arrow.

"Warg scouts. That means an Orc pack is not far behind." Throin said.

"Orc pack?" Bilbo questioned.

"Who did you tell about your crest? About your kin?" Gandalf asked Thorin.

"No one." Thorin answered.

"Who did you tell?!" Gandalf demanded.

"No one I swear!" Throin repeated. "What in Durin's name is going on?"

"You're being hunted."

"We have to get out of here." Dwalin said.

"We can't. We have no ponies." Ori replied. "They bolted."

"I'll draw them off." Radagast said.

"These are Gundabad Wargs. They will outrun you." Gandalf replied.

"These are Rhosgobel rabbits. I'd like to see them try."


	4. Chapter 4

I panted as I ran between Fili and Kili. I could run faster if I didn't have my pack with me, weighing me down. We ran and hid behind boulders, following Gandalf's orders. We were hiding behind a boulder when I heard the breath of a Warg from on top of the rock. Thorin put a hand on my mouth to quiet my breaths and he gave Kili a nod. Kili slowly grabbed an arrow and jumped away from the boulder and hit the Warg. Both the Warg and Orc fell. Dwalin hit the Warg that was running toward us and Bifur and Thorin killed the squealing Orc.

"Oh they definitely heard us now!" I harshly whispered.

"Run!" Gandalf yelled.

No matter how fast they would run I knew the Wargs were faster.

I let out a yelp when I fell and twisted my ankle. Bifur helped me up and I noticed that Gandalf was gone.

"There's more coming!" Kili yelled.

"We're surrounded!" Fili shouted.

"Kili, shoot them!" Throin oredered.

"Where's Gandalf?" Dori asked.

"He's abandon us!" Dwalin answered.

"You say you trust him?" Thorin asked as Bifur helped me walk over to him.

I glared, "Yes."

"Hold your ground!" Thorin yelled.

"This way you fools!" I heard from behind me.

I turned around and saw Gandalf.

Bifur helped me and we slid down the stone slide. Followed by Bofur, Bilbo and Balin.

"Are you alright?" Bilbo asked.

I nodded and we heard a horn. You could hear the Orcs and Wargs being slaughtered. Then an Orc fell down and landed in front of us. Some of the dwarves had their weapon pointed toward it. Gandalf poked it, obviously it was dead. Throin ripped out the arrow the Orc had in it's chest.

"Elves." He said, disgusted, tossing the arrow to the ground.

"I cannot see where the pathway leads!" Dwalin yelled from farther down the tunnel, "Should we follow it?"

"Of course we do!" Bofur yelled.

We all walked through the tunnel, having to squeeze through some parts of it. Above us the sky peaked out from the rocks. I limped with Fili in front of me and Kili behind, making sure that I don't fall.

"Do you feel that?" I asked.

"Feel what?" Fili and Kili asked.

"The magic." I answered with a smile as we came to the end of the tunnel.

It was beautiful. In ways I couldn't describe.

"The Valley of Imladris. But in Common Tongue it is known by another name." Gandalf said.

"Rivendell." Bilbo said.

We walked down from where we were and to the buildings. Gandalf in front of us all. We all stood in a circle, waiting. Then an Elf walked down the steps, talking in Elven to Gandalf.

"I must speak to Lord Elrond." Gandalf said.

"Lord Elrond is not here." The Elf spoke in Common Tongue.

"Not here? Where is he?" Gandalf questioned.

Then there was a horn just like the one we heard earlier and we turned around and saw horses galloping toward us. I was pushed forward and the dwarves surrounded Bilbo and I. The men on the horses surrounded us.

"Gandalf."

"Elrond."

Gandalf started speaking to the man in Elven ans I looked around at the men on the horses. There was one that caught my eye. Unlike the others, he wasn't wearing a helmet or any armor. He had on a short-sleeved dark green shirt and black trousers. He had dark hair, almost black, but I couldn't see his eyes. He was obviously a human, from the lack of pointy ears.

"What is your name milady?" The man Gandalf was talking to asked me.

"Azaelia." I answered.

"You are hurt, I offer some assistance and a bath for you, if you want." Elrond said.

I nodded and Elrond turned to the man without any armor and spoke to him in Elven. The man's eyes widened and he got off of his horse. He walked toward me and the dwarves raised their weapons.

"I will not harm her, I promise." He said to them.

They hesitantly lowered their weapons and I followed the man up the steps.

"What is your name?" I asked as we walked down a hall.

"Damon." He answered.

I let out a small laugh.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing. It's just... I had a brother with that name." I replied.

"Here is the room. There will be a bath awaiting in there. I will be back shortly if you need anything." Damon said, opening the door.

I looked down at his arm and saw a small scar. My eyes widened and I nodded quickly before going in and shutting the door. My brother had a scar just like that. He had an accident with a knife and left him a scar on his arm.

I found my long lost brother.


	5. Chapter 5

It had to be him. It just had to. But how? I looked all over the village for anyone. There was no one.

The bath was great. It was warm and it was so nice to be clean again. I walked out of the bathroom and there was a beautiful dark green dress on the bed. Unfortunately there was a corset. That means I can do it up by myself. I sighed. I put the dress on. There was a heart neckline outlined in white. The corset had a beautiful white, pink, and blue swirly looking pattern and there was sleeves that went down to my hands. The skirt was green and went down to my feet. And for shoes there were black and white boots.

"Um, Damon?" I asked hesitantly, sticking my head out the door and saw him sitting across the hall.

"Yes?" He replied, standing up.

"Well, uh, the dress, in the back there's-" I started.

"You need help?" He asked.

I nodded and let him into the room. I faced away from him and he began pulling on the laces.

"There you go." He said once he was finished.

"Thank you." I replied, staring at the ground.

"Dinner had already begun. I will take you down when you are done." Damon said before walking back out the room.

I sighed and began to braid my dark red hair. When I was done I looked into the full length mirror in the corner. I then walked outside and I walked with Damon and took a leap of faith.

"So where are the others?" I asked.

"At dinner down-" He began before I interrupted.

"I was talking about my younger brothers and sisters. It has been thirteen years and I am eager to see them again, big brother."

I was then taken off of the ground and was in his arms.

"I thought it was you. I just couldn't be sure." I heard him say into my hair.

"I missed you." I said, hugging him back.

"And I, you."

"Where are they? They are okay, aren't they?" I asked as he set me down.

"The others are just fine. They were finishing their studies when I visited them while you were getting ready. They will be down-"

"Azaelia!"

I was tackled to the floor with the younglings on top of me.

"I missed you, too." I replied as two boys helped me up.

"Nicholas? Michael?" I questioned.

They still had their light blonde shaggy hair. Their eyes a now darker blue, but still had playfulness in them just like the last time I saw them. They smiled.

"Older than the last time, eh?" Nic asked.

"We're nineteen now. Not the same six year olds we were." Michael smiled.

"Uh, no, you still act like six year olds." Damon said.

I turned to Arabella and Ivy. They both dark brown hair. Arabella's was long and was down to her hip. Ivy's was shorter, going just past the shoulders.

"And you two are seventeen, right?"

Ivy smiled and hugged me.

"Yeah. Our birthday was a few months ago." Arabella replied.

Prim was small. Probably because she was fourteen. Only one-years-old when the incident happened. Her blonde hair was braided and she had light blue eyes.

"How are you?" I asked.

"Great." She answered.

I turned back to Damon.

"How did you get here? I searched the village, I didn't find anyone." I said.

"Mr. Wilson." Damon answered.

Mr. Wilson was an old man who would sell vegetables at the market. Every other week he would leave to visit his garden outside of the village.

"He found us and took us here. The elves took us in." Nic said.

Then my stomach rumbled.

"Let's get down to dinner." Damon said, leading me down more steps.

* * *

**Thorin POV**

"Where is she?" I asked as I sat down at the table with Elrond and Gandalf.

"She will be down shortly. I believe her siblings are delaying her." Elrond replied, taking a drink.

"Siblings?" I questioned.

"Yes, her brothers and sisters are here. I imagine they are having a short reunion before coming down." Elrond said.

"Ah, here she is now." Gandalf said, looking past my shoulder.

I looked over and saw her entering with three men and three girls. One of the men was the one who took her earlier, must be her older brother Damon. The other two were obviously twins. Nicholas and Michael, I believe. She smiled as a girl with short brown hair talked to her. Azaelia was wearing a dark green dress with her hair in a braid. She was beautiful, no one can deny that.

Azaelia looked over and smiled at me before sitting down between a small girl with blonde hair and Damon.

* * *

**Azaelia POV**

_There is an inn, a merry old inn_

_Beneath an old grey hill_

_And there they brew a beer so brown_

_That the Man in the Moon himself came down_

_One night to drink his fill_

_The ostler has a tipsy cat_

_That plays a five-stringed fiddle;_

_And up an down he saws his bow_

_Now squeaking high, now purring low_

_Now sawing in the middle_

_So the cat on the fiddle played hey-diddle-diddle_

_A jig that would wake the dead_

_He squeaked and sawed and quickened the tune_

_While the landlord shook the Man in the Moon_

_'It's after three!' he said._

The other dwarves threw food at Bofur who just finished singing.

"Is it always like this?" Arabella asked.

"No, but it is fun." I replied.

Nic and Michael joined in on the food fight and soon we all joined in. That night I was in the room I was to stay in that night with Nic, Michael, Ivy, Arabella, and Prim. Damon had to join the meeting with Thorin and Elrond. We talked until Prim pointed out something.

"There's something in your hair." She said before leaning over and put her hand on my head.

"Oh, gods." She whispered.

"What?" I asked.

"A white hair!" Prim exclaimed.

"Azaelia, you are growing old!" Arabella joked.

"Oh, shut up!" I yelled playfully and smacked her in the head with a soft pillow.

* * *

**Damon POV**

"The girl is not fully human." Elrond spoke in Elvish.

"I know. I sensed it when I first met her." Gandalf replied back in Elvish also.

"Her brothers and sisters are all fully human, yet she is not. Their blood is different." Elrond said.

"She told me that she and her eldest brother had a different father than the others." Gandalf replied.

"Clearly whatever gene he had passed onto her did not go to Damon."

I heard footsteps behind me and turned around to see Thorin Oakenshield.

"You wish to take back your mountain?" I asked.

"Yes." He answered.

"Better sooner than later. I wish to go with you."

"Why? You have no need." Thorin replied.

"I have to protect my sister." I responded.

"There are twelve other dwarves and the wizard in the Company to watch over her." He said.

"I promised my mother long ago I would watch over her and protect her. Now that I know she is alive I know my promise has not been broken yet. I have no need for your treasure, I just need her safe." I replied.

Thorin nodded before starting to walk down the steps, "We leave at dawn."

* * *

**Azaelia POV**

The next morning I was woken up by someone shaking me.

"It is time to leave." Thorin said.

I blinked a few times before sitting up. Prim's head was on my stomach and I was using Nic's legs as a pillow. I slowly got up, trying not to wake the others and grabbed my pack before following Thorin to the other dwarves.

"Where is Gandalf?" I asked.

"He will be joining us later." He answered.

There was an extra person.

"You are coming with?" I asked Damon.

"Someone's got to watch over you." He smirked.

"I am not a child." I replied before sighing, "Just don't die, alright?"

"As long as you don't die either."


End file.
